Rebels v Cheetahs, 22 April @ AAMI Park

[swingpass]

This unfortunately extends beyond the Rebels and across significant parts of the Australian super rugby landscape.

unfortunately, yes. the difference between the individual and collective skill sets of the Australian and New Zealand (and some South African) players as a group is enormous. the last few weeks it has been glaringly obvious, the decision making, the execution and the skill needed to execute accurately and the pace of the above is vastly superior from the Kiwi sides compared to the Aus franchises.
there is no lack of endeavour, but seeing the opportunities, making the right choices and then being able to execute with pace and effect seems to elude the aussie teams more often than not. the australian players seem much more at ease with playing a structured game, which might have been the reason Robbie Deans wasn't so successful with "play what in front of you", which by its nature requires a range of skills that average australian player doesn't possess.
which is back to my original point and has been alluded to and expressed on a number of threads, just who the F*** is trying to improve the skill set at Super level and more importantly every level below. it beggars belief that a test capped and 50+ game super player drops the ball on six occasions, that a 100 plus teat player couldn't pass to both sides, or an aspiring teat player being unable to kick accurately to touch, or throw in straight more often than not, if thats their job during a game.

 

[Groucho]

Good to be in town for a win. First half was a trainwreck, aimless nonsense. Second was much better, amazing what happens when players start working off the ball.

Jones' hands were coated in butter, had a shocker. Debreczeni was laughably bad, he's in absolutely dreadful touch - decision making is just shot. I like the kids coming through though, Hodge is raw but has a lot of promise. Tuipolotu plays with a lot of pop, he's going to be around for a good long while.

Nice to see them finishing hard as well, and not just spending the last half an hour defending their one point lead like usual.

I have serious doubts about Debra. He does some things quite well but many others very badly. Having just bigged-up Hodge, my inclination is to pour cold water on Debreczeni's Wallaby aspirations at this stage.

 

[Groucho]

Particularly when Marto and co spent much of the pre-match coverage telling us that the Cheetahs had the worst scrum in super rugby.

Still, good win by the Rebels, especially considering that two of their most consistent performers had and off night.

Marto, like Paul Cully on Rugby Heaven, and most writers on the Roar, is an idiot. I hate the fact that we've followed American sport journalism by having a bunch of amiable idiots to provide 'colour' who end up also providing analysis. Kearns is the correct level for a rugby idiot. Marto is too much.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Gentlemen, ladies,

A match review, for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/rebels-get-done-cheetahs/

 

[Highlander35]

Jack has problems either up top or maybe that ankle he was carrying into the season. Doesn't want to run at the line, shuffling the ball along rather than taking the contact, lots of defending on the wing. Hope he fixes up whatever he has soon.

 

[Quick Hands]

Marto, like Paul Cully on Rugby Heaven, and most writers on the Roar, is an idiot. I hate the fact that we've followed American sport journalism by having a bunch of amiable idiots to provide 'colour' who end up also providing analysis. Kearns is the correct level for a rugby idiot. Marto is too much.

George Gregan being the other end of the spectrum - an excruciatingly dull monotone.

 

[MarkJ]

Marto, like Paul Cully on Rugby Heaven, and most writers on the Roar, is an idiot.

Not sure what your beef with Cully is. I'd rate him as probably the best rugby journo in the oz press (admittedly there's not much competition)

 

[Dumbledore]

I have serious doubts about Debra. He does some things quite well but many others very badly. Having just bigged-up Hodge, my inclination is to pour cold water on Debreczeni's Wallaby aspirations at this stage.

I've always said he was a project who was a way off the Wallabies, but last night was really something. I mentioned his decision making last night, and that's really what's happening. He half takes the ball to the line then stops and either gets smashed or pops a pathetic little pass along. And when he doesn't go to the line he just shovels it along aimlessly. No control, no ideas. His passing is seriously ordinary as well.

 

[Dumbledore]

Gentlemen, ladies,

A match review, for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/rebels-get-done-cheetahs/

Nice one. I thought Timani had a very average first half - like the rest of them - but he really built into the second half.

I have no idea why they have so much trouble running onto the ball? You'd think it was pretty elementary, but here we are.

 

[Groucho]

Not sure what your beef with Cully is. I'd rate him as probably the best rugby journo in the oz press (admittedly there's not much competition)

Do you think so? I think he just makes stuff up to be negative.

But you're right in the sense that he's nonetheless one of the better Aussie rugby journos, in the same way as the cleverest of the infinite number of monkeys who must eventually reproduce the works of Shakespeare, is the best dramatist.

 

[Hawko]

Particularly when Marto and co spent much of the pre-match coverage telling us that the Cheetahs had the worst scrum in super rugby.

The Cheetahs scrum has been seriously on the improve. They were pants in the early rounds.

 

[Hawko]

Not sure what your beef with Cully is. I'd rate him as probably the best rugby journo in the oz press (admittedly there's not much competition)

You might. I think he's awful; totally negative. He's running in a very poor field though.